LPHU - Rightshttp://lphu.com/tags/rights
enPWDs In Lebanon: Statistics and Classificationshttp://lphu.com/article/pwds-lebanon-statistics-and-classifications
<div class="section field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/field/image/AAA-%20%28166%29.JPG"><img src="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/styles/article/public/field/image/AAA-%20%28166%29.JPG?itok=3vfvdnuo" width="570" height="230" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="section field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><p><strong><em>Imadeddine Raef &amp; Jana El-Husseini</em></strong></p>
<p>B.M., a physically disabled young man says: “I studied engineering, but I didn’t get a job”. As he submitted a complaint to the Disability Monitor<a id="_ftnref1" name="_ftnref1"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn1" title="">[1]</a> stating that the Ministry of Social Affairs has refused to grant him the Disability card. “They refused my application, arguing that my thumb is not amputated, despite the fact that my fingers are amputated!”, He added.</p>
<p>According to the Lebanese concept, the disabled young man is defined as a non-disabled person, unlike the International concept which defined him as a disabled person. Why?</p>
<p>Based on the Article 4 of the Law 220/2000<a id="_ftnref2" name="_ftnref2"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn2" title="">[2]</a>, Disability Card is the only official adopted way to prove your disability. However, it is not being put into practice and PWDs are still fighting for their basic rights including health services, employment, and education…</p>
<p>The law was issued fifteen years ago, and adopted the International classification of Disabilities which was issued by the “World Health Organization” in 1980 and its subsequent amendments, and defined Person with disability as a “person whose capacity to perform one or more vital functions, independently secure his personal existential needs, participate in social activities on an equal basis with others, and live a personal and social life that is normal by existing social standards, is reduced or non-existent because of a partial or complete, permanent or temporary, bodily, sensory or intellectual functional loss or incapacity, that is the outcome of a congenital or acquired illness or from a pathological condition that has been prolonged beyond normal medical expectations”,(Article 2). Although, this definition has included the four types of disabilities (Physical, visual, hearing, and intellectual disability) yet DPOs and Human Rights organizations still have long way to develop it, so that it will match the disability social model which is reflected in the UNCRPD<a id="_ftnref3" name="_ftnref3"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn3" title="">[3]</a> issued in 2006, and not ratified yet by the Lebanese Parliament.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Available Figures</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The “World Bank” refers in its latest report that the percentage of People with disabilities in Lebanon reach to 15% of the population, while, the International DPOs adopted the ratio of the 10% according to its field surveys conducted during the last two decades. Those surveys were conducted directly and indirectly, such as “From House to House” (Men Beit La Beit) campaigns carried out by the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, and other statistics related to the number of displaced disabled person during July war 2006 through the “emergency program”.</p>
<p>Based on those figures, Ms. Hanine El Chimali, LPHU<a id="_ftnref4" name="_ftnref4"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn4" title="">[4]</a> programs manager and Mr. Elie Gemayel, Projects manager of the British Council-Lebanon delivered a presentation in the frame of the International workshop held in Kiev on 9-11 June, 2015. The workshop entitled “Inclusive Decisions for Equal and Accountable Society” addressed the latest figures issued by the “Rights and Access Program”<a id="_ftnref5" name="_ftnref5"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn5" title="">[5]</a> where the number of disability cards reached 90583 cards, till May 18, 2015. It is worth mentioning that People with physical disabilities card holders have recorded the highest percent (55%), where 62% is male and 38% is female card holder. Among age groups, the highest percentage was for people who are able to work aged between 35 and 65. Figures also show that among 2761 disability card holders are people with learning disabilities, i.e. only 3% of the total card holders.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Waiting for Survey Results</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Analytical information based on the statistics is highly important for the relevant State departments, to meet the needs of DPOs and to build up lobbying campaigns, as debates are ongoing on the percentage of PWDs in the society.</p>
<p>In the frame of the “Disability and Access to Information” Report which was prepared by the Researcher Edward Thomas from “Article 19”<a id="_ftnref6" name="_ftnref6"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftn6" title="">[6]</a>, and launched on May 2015, in Beirut. Thomas noticed in his report that the Central Administration of Statistics in Lebanon is planning for a disability national survey in 2015-2016, supported by the Arab League using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Moreover, DPOs are looking forward to see this survey to be accompanied with the ratification of the UNCRPD by the Lebanese Parliament, which will end up the debate about the numbers of and classifications and will place the rights of persons with disabilities on the implementation road.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a id="_ftn1" name="_ftn1"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref1" title="">[1]</a> “Disability Monitor" is an initiative of the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, National Inclusion Network and other Disabled People`s Organizations in Lebanon, in partnership with Ministry of Social Affairs, with the support of "Diakonia".</p>
<p><a id="_ftn2" name="_ftn2"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref2" title="">[2]</a> country’s Parliament passed Law for the rights of persons with disabilities</p>
<p><a id="_ftn3" name="_ftn3"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref3" title="">[3]</a> United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) is the human rights convention concerning persons with disabilities. It is a list of rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities to improve their access to society, education and employment.</p>
<p><a id="_ftn4" name="_ftn4"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref4" title="">[4]</a> Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union</p>
<p><a id="_ftn5" name="_ftn5"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref5" title="">[5]</a> The National Council for Disabled People formulated and adopted the Rights and Access Program aimed at improving the quality of service delivery to those with disabilities in Lebanon.</p>
<p><a id="_ftn6" name="_ftn6"></a><a href="http://lphu.disabilitymonitor.net/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#_ftnref6" title="">[6]</a> is a London-based human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide founded in 1987.</p>
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Thu, 17 Mar 2016 16:50:08 +0000imad150 at http://lphu.comhttp://lphu.com/article/pwds-lebanon-statistics-and-classifications#commentsTowards a Disability-Friendly Media Languagehttp://lphu.com/article/towards-disability-friendly-media-language
<div class="section field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/field/image/MARO1946%20%282%29.jpg"><img src="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/styles/article/public/field/image/MARO1946%20%282%29.jpg?itok=IHGXe_5f" width="570" height="230" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="section field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><p><strong><em>Imadeddine Raef &amp; Jana El-Husseini</em></strong></p>
<p>Houria F., a 22-year-old girl from Arsal was born with physical disability.</p>
<p>During her educational academic journey, the young girl with disability faced many barriers with her teachers and classmates. These barriers were resulted from social cultural attitudes toward persons with disabilities and their abilities, but despite of all of that, Houria successfully completed her Intermediate stage, she wanted to be a nurse but access and registration problems in the Lebanese vocational and Technical educational system were blocking her way to success.</p>
<p>After many efforts, Houria was able to be enrolled in “Arsal Technical Institute”, in which the challenges were doubled. Teachers categorically rejected to receive a leaner with disability with learners without disability, while her classmates dealt in a very inappropriate way, using harsh language and expressing their shame of being the classmates of a girl with disability. Also, they refused to assist her, but despite all challenges, Houria successfully managed and completed her vocational education.</p>
<p>Today, Houria has only one step left to get her Nursing degree, but she can’t since practical hospitals are not available in Arsal, and she is unable to pay for transportation and accommodation expenses in any other place, and even if the expenses were covered, this practical stage requires further cooperation from teachers and classmates. Will Houria be able to get her degree? Will the dream of her life with no available resources be achieved?</p>
<p>Many of us, are Houria, trying to achieve our dreams, however, we are still facing double discrimination by the society, due to our gender and disability.</p>
<p>Generally, Social stereotype attitude towards people with disabilities is still the hostage of the so-called medical model of disability, which views disability as a ‘problem’ that belongs to the individual with disability. Moreover, these attitudes didn’t reach yet the social model of disability which draws on the idea that the society is disabling people, through designing everything in order to meet the needs of the majority of people without disability, and this model was referred to it as one of UNCRPD goals.</p>
<p><strong>Language is the Dress of Thoughts</strong></p>
<p>The traditional response to disability, often called; the medical model of disability which refers to disability as personal tragedy and many people with disabilities are seen and judged based on this medical model. Moreover, people with disabilities are expected to be responsible for their own disability and manage their own challenges.</p>
<p>The medical model of disability is characterized by the exclusion and mobilization within the medical or residential institutions which enhance the exclusion of persons with disabilities from their community. From this point of view, disability is a tragedy and people with disability are to be pitied. Moreover, the model views PWD as individuals who are in need for “treatment or care” with the assumption that he/she is “abnormal” and being “abnormal” meaning that you are “unwelcomed”, in which people with disabilities are still unable to enjoy their basic rights.</p>
<p>While the social model of disability doesn’t consider the human biological needs are the causes of ‘disability’, but sees it as a result of the interaction between people with disabilities and social, cultural, economic, and environmental barriers. Disability therefore is socially constructed on behavioral barriers, such as prejudices attitudes which Houria was facing, in addition to institutional barriers imposed by laws and policies, economical barriers that excluded persons with disabilities, and environmental barriers which prevented physical accessibility to information and communication.</p>
<p><strong>Our Expressions reflect our Politics </strong></p>
<p>The story of Houria will often be tackled by the media as the story of heroine who challenged the negative stereotypic attitude (the disabled hero), or may be the focus will be on her last step where she had no access to complete her degree (the pitied perspective) and probably some media shows will present Houria’s story in occasions and holidays which will increase donations (occasions perspective), or the story can be totally ignored.</p>
<p>Media plays an essential role toward enhancing the social model vs. medical model of disability. This should be achieved through mainstreaming and selecting an appropriate terminology to describe people with disability, we as Journalists should carefully consider the usage of disability-friendly language.</p>
<p>Lebanese people with disabilities have worked hard on their individual and collective rights, and they sought to change the discriminatory language to a disability-friendly inclusive language.</p>
<p>See attached table:</p>
<ol><li>The term “disabled” is a description and not an individual, we recommend using ‘person with disability ‘instead of ‘disabled’ or ‘special needs’. We use a ‘person first language’ in all written and verbal communication which means we acknowledge the person before her/his disability.</li>
<li>We avoid phrases like ‘paralyzed ‘or ‘crippled ‘or ‘invalid’ or ’blind’ or ’deaf’ or ’Mongol’, or ’retarded’. All these terms are very disrespectful for persons with disabilities, as well as the term ‘disabled’ is often used as offence.</li>
<li>We avoid phrases like ‘May God bless, heal you and give you hope!’, ‘what a pity’…</li>
<li>We avoid using disability related terms to describe any economic or political absence like ‘paralyised economic situation’, ‘amputated government’, also avoid phrases like ‘the dialogue of the deaf’, ‘deaf during a wedding party’, ‘a one-eyed person is a king among the blinds’ and many other negative phrases.</li>
<li>We avoid using the medical terms which are based on person’s disability or stereotypic perspective like ‘patients’ or ‘having bad health conditions’</li>
<li>People with disabilities are not victims either. We do not use expressions like ‘suffers from disability’, which refer to the state of being in pain or hopelessness.</li>
<li>We avoid using expressions that reflect isolation, suffering, anger, and negative perspective related to needs of persons with disabilities.</li>
</ol><ol><li>Equally, we recommend not using the expression ‘confined to a wheelchair’. A wheelchair is not confining, it provides mobility to people who can’t walk. A person ‘uses a wheelchair’ or is a ‘wheelchair user’.</li>
</ol><p> Most people with disabilities are comfortable with the words used to describe their daily living. People who use wheelchairs 'go for walks'. People with visual disabilities may be very pleased - or not - 'to see you'. Disability may just mean that some things are done in a different way. </p>
<p>We avoid using words or pictures to describe negative victims, we recommend using a respectful language in which it introduces people with disabilities as active individuals who are able to manage their own lives.</p>
<p>We avoid the tragedy description of certain disability needs; those needs should be described as a part of the additional needs.</p>
<p>The use of any certain words or phrases can express the pitifulness of the audience toward people with disabilities, and this doesn’t reflect the inclusion and rights culture.</p>
<p>We must avoid any content or program that focus on disability as a ‘problem’, however, we should introduce people with disabilities as active participants in the public, social, and political life, with the focus on the positives and the clarification of removing the barriers as well as meeting the needs of all, in which we are able to build an inclusive and comprehensive respectful society.</p>
<p> </p>
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</div></div></div>Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:52:05 +0000imad116 at http://lphu.comhttp://lphu.com/article/towards-disability-friendly-media-language#commentsLebanese PwDs are still Marginalized and Excludedhttp://lphu.com/article/lebanese-pwds-are-still-marginalized-and-excluded
<div class="section field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/field/image/BILA7147%20%282%29.jpg"><img src="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/styles/article/public/field/image/BILA7147%20%282%29.jpg?itok=8oxxLDa-" width="570" height="230" alt="" title=" - Photo: Bilal Jawiech - Haqqi Rights Campaign 2009" /></a></div></div></div><div class="section field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><p><strong><em>Imadeddine Raef &amp; Jana El-Husseini</em></strong></p>
<p>F.H. a 42-year-old physically disabled man from Aramoun uses the taxicab to cross the street. “I can’t use the sidewalk, because it’s inaccessible. I am facing a double barrier; both built environment and public transport are still inaccessible for persons with disabilities”. He said.</p>
<p>Disability Monitor<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> website has received a complaint questionnaire from R.K., a twenties physically disabled man, “My life insurance application was denied by the insurance company. I have completed and submitted all Medical examinations to the Insurance agent, but he refused my application without mentioning any reason which I think it is disability related reasons”, he added. “The aforementioned American insurance company wouldn’t deny my application if I submitted it in the United States territories, so why they were allowed to do so in the Lebanese territories?” the young disabled man complained. According to complaint questionnaires, both men are being marginalized as four hundred thousand citizens with disabilities in Lebanon. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Most Important Rights</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The ratification on the UNCRPD<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a> and the issuance of the implementation decrees of the Law 220/2000<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a> has become more than an urgent need for people with disabilities in Lebanon. However, The Lebanese ‘National Interest’ government toppled two previous ministerial statements which addressed the issue of the rights, without mentioning the ratification on the UNCRPD. On the other hand, The ‘Development and Improvement Government’ ministerial statement mentioned in December 2009 that the government will work on ‘Lebanon’s adherence to the UNCRPD and its optional protocol, and insisted on the need of full respect for the rights of people with disabilities set forth in the Lebanese laws, mainly the Law 220/200 and an urgent execution of its implementation decrees’, but the aforesaid government broke the promise. While ‘All of us! For our Country, for our Glory and Flag’ government promised on the 6th of July 2011 that ‘It will be concerned about people with disability needs and ensure their rights through several steps including the issuance of the implementation decrees of the law 220/2000 and the ratification on the international agreements related to people with disabilities’, but this was not put into practice, especially when the former Lebanese Prime Minister Mr.Mikati granted people with disability an overdosed promises and announced the 2013 a year for an active implementation of the Law 220/2000, where no results were shown. Yet the UNCRPD was approved eight years ago by the Government led by Prime Minister Fouad Al Siniora and was submitted along with 70 different laws, where a political debate occurred regarding its “constitutionality”. Therefore, Lebanon has not ratified yet on the UNCRPD, leaving behind citizens with disabilities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Shadow Reports<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title="" id="_ftnref4"><strong>[4]</strong></a></strong></p>
<p>The Lebanese DPOs have highlighted these issues and submitted shadow reports to the United Nations-Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in the frame of the Universal Periodic Review<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title="" id="_ftnref5">[5]</a> cycle in the United Nations Office in Geneva (see UPR 2010 and 2015), Lebanon is officially being represented this year during the 10th session on the 2nd of November 2015 at the Human Right Council<a href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title="" id="_ftnref6">[6]</a>.</p>
<p>LPHU<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7" title="" id="_ftnref7">[7]</a> as an executive acting on behalf of “Lebanese Disability Coalition” and “Lebanese Disability Forum”, has participated in the Press conference that was held by the NGO coalition in the Press Club in Beirut, on 23rd of July 2015. The conference aimed at launching the joint reports which was prepared in the frame of the UPR scheduled for next November.</p>
<p>Moreover, DPOs’ paper indicated that despite the fact that the law 220/2000 was issued fifteen years ago, however, the relevant ministries didn’t issue yet its implementation decrees, due to the following reasons:</p>
<ul><li>Lack of public vision, or a national policy, or a general strategy for the implementation of the law and reach for having equal opportunities in society.</li>
</ul><ul><li>The absence of the inclusive criteria for the ministries’ structures, departments, boards, and decisions; and the lack of awareness in the public sector towards the issues of disability and the rights and needs of PWD.</li>
<li>The absence of disability issues from local development agendas, or the standards of the studies, public or official social statistics.</li>
<li>The absence of coordination between the concerned ministries in implementing the law which wastes the opportunities for its implementation.</li>
<li>The absence of the basic needs of PWD from the general budget, which makes implementation of the law in the labor, education, health and inclusive environment rights, as well as the civil and political rights aren’t provided.</li>
<li>Inability to access information, and the absence of transparency of the information provided by the ministries.</li>
</ul><p> </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Lebanese government continues its negligence regarding the ratification on the UNCRPD and upgrading the current local legislations in order to make appropriate for the implementation process.</p>
<p>Due to this fact, People with disabilities who constitute 20 percent of the world’s population, equivalent to 400 thousand citizens are still facing marginalization, exclusion and deprivation of their basic rights including health, employment, education, non-discrimination (accessibility and political rights), in addition to, Palestinians and Syrians refugees with disabilities rights.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are two main recommendations made in the report, first, Lebanese government should ratify immediately on the UNCRPD, Second, relevant stakeholders should develop the national laws to ensure all the rights of PWDs and to legislate specific necessary policies and procedures so that people with disabilities have the inherent right to respect for their human dignity.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> “Disability Monitor" is an initiative of the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, National Inclusion Network and other Disabled People`s Organizations in Lebanon, in partnership with Ministry of Social Affairs, with the support of "Diakonia".</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) is the human rights convention concerning persons with disabilities. It is a list of rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities to improve their access to society, education and employment.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> country’s Parliament passed Law for the rights of persons with disabilities</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title="" id="_ftn4">[4]</a> Shadow reporting is an important tool for NGOs supporting human rights. By submitting a shadow report to a UN treaty body committee, NGOs can highlight issues not raised by their governments or point out where the government may be misleading the committee from the real situation.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title="" id="_ftn5">[5]</a> The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council, which provides the opportunity for each State to declare what actions they have taken to improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfil their human rights obligations. As one of the main features of the Council, the UPR is designed to ensure equal treatment for every country when their human rights situations are assessed.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title="" id="_ftn6">[6]</a> The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7" title="" id="_ftn7">[7]</a> Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union is a grassroots advocacy organization for the rights of persons with disabilities in Lebanon founded in 1981</p>
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Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:11:44 +0000imad113 at http://lphu.comhttp://lphu.com/article/lebanese-pwds-are-still-marginalized-and-excluded#commentsPersons with Disabilities between Statistics and Classificationshttp://lphu.com/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications
<div class="section field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><a href="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/field/image/DSC06531%20%282%29.JPG"><img src="http://lphu.com/sites/default/files/styles/article/public/field/image/DSC06531%20%282%29.JPG?itok=FWbYiJwW" width="570" height="230" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="section field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item odd"><p><em><strong>Imadeddine Raef &amp; Jana El-Husseini</strong></em></p>
<p>B.M., a physically disabled young man says: “I studied engineering, but I didn’t get a job”. As he submitted a complaint to the Disability Monitor<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" id="_ftnref1">[1]</a> stating that the Ministry of Social Affairs has refused to grant him the Disability card. “They refused my application, arguing that my thumb is not amputated, despite the fact that my fingers are amputated!”, He added.</p>
<p>According to the Lebanese concept, the disabled young man is defined as a non-disabled person, unlike the International concept which defined him as a disabled person. Why?</p>
<p>Based on the Article 4 of the Law 220/2000<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title="" id="_ftnref2">[2]</a>, Disability Card is the only official adopted way to prove your disability. However, it is not being put into practice and PWDs are still fighting for their basic rights including health services, employment, and education…</p>
<p>The law was issued fifteen years ago, and adopted the International classification of Disabilities which was issued by the “World Health Organization” in 1980 and its subsequent amendments, and defined Person with disability as a “person whose capacity to perform one or more vital functions, independently secure his personal existential needs, participate in social activities on an equal basis with others, and live a personal and social life that is normal by existing social standards, is reduced or non-existent because of a partial or complete, permanent or temporary, bodily, sensory or intellectual functional loss or incapacity, that is the outcome of a congenital or acquired illness or from a pathological condition that has been prolonged beyond normal medical expectations”,(Article 2). Although, this definition has included the four types of disabilities (Physical, visual, hearing, and intellectual disability) yet DPOs and Human Rights organizations still have long way to develop it, so that it will match the disability social model which is reflected in the UNCRPD<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title="" id="_ftnref3">[3]</a> issued in 2006, and not ratified yet by the Lebanese Parliament.</p>
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<p><strong>Available Figures</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The “World Bank” refers in its latest report that the percentage of People with disabilities in Lebanon reach to 15% of the population, while, the International DPOs adopted the ratio of the 10% according to its field surveys conducted during the last two decades. Those surveys were conducted directly and indirectly, such as “From House to House” (Men Beit La Beit) campaigns carried out by the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, and other statistics related to the number of displaced disabled person during July war 2006 through the “emergency program”.</p>
<p>Based on those figures, Ms. Hanine El Chimali, LPHU<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title="" id="_ftnref4">[4]</a> programs manager and Mr. Elie Gemayel, Projects manager of the British Council-Lebanon delivered a presentation in the frame of the International workshop held in Kiev on 9-11 June, 2015. The workshop entitled “Inclusive Decisions for Equal and Accountable Society” addressed the latest figures issued by the “Rights and Access Program”<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title="" id="_ftnref5">[5]</a> where the number of disability cards reached 90583 cards, till May 18, 2015. It is worth mentioning that People with physical disabilities card holders have recorded the highest percent (55%), where 62% is male and 38% is female card holder. Among age groups, the highest percentage was for people who are able to work aged between 35 and 65. Figures also show that among 2761 disability card holders are people with learning disabilities, i.e. only 3% of the total card holders.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Waiting for Survey Results</strong></p>
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<p>The Analytical information based on the statistics is highly important for the relevant State departments, to meet the needs of DPOs and to build up lobbying campaigns, as debates are ongoing on the percentage of PWDs in the society.</p>
<p>In the frame of the “Disability and Access to Information” Report which was prepared by the Researcher Edward Thomas from “Article 19”<a href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" title="" id="_ftnref6">[6]</a>, and launched on May 2015, in Beirut. Thomas noticed in his report that the Central Administration of Statistics in Lebanon is planning for a disability national survey in 2015-2016, supported by the Arab League using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Moreover, DPOs are looking forward to see this survey to be accompanied with the ratification of the UNCRPD by the Lebanese Parliament, which will end up the debate about the numbers of and classifications and will place the rights of persons with disabilities on the implementation road.</p>
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<p><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" id="_ftn1">[1]</a> “Disability Monitor" is an initiative of the Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union, National Inclusion Network and other Disabled People`s Organizations in Lebanon, in partnership with Ministry of Social Affairs, with the support of "Diakonia".</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title="" id="_ftn2">[2]</a> country’s Parliament passed Law for the rights of persons with disabilities</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title="" id="_ftn3">[3]</a> United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities) is the human rights convention concerning persons with disabilities. It is a list of rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities to improve their access to society, education and employment.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title="" id="_ftn4">[4]</a> Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title="" id="_ftn5">[5]</a> The National Council for Disabled People formulated and adopted the Rights and Access Program aimed at improving the quality of service delivery to those with disabilities in Lebanon.</p>
<p><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" title="" id="_ftn6">[6]</a> is a London-based human rights organization with a specific mandate and focus on the defense and promotion of freedom of expression and freedom of information worldwide founded in 1987.</p>
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Mon, 03 Aug 2015 10:06:43 +0000imad100 at http://lphu.comhttp://lphu.com/article/persons-disabilities-between-statistics-and-classifications#comments